The days are getting shorter, colder and you’re finding yourself retreating into your cosy couch more and more. Well summer might be over but there are a lot of fun things to explore in London this autumn and so we wanted to compile a Time Out-esqe list with a cycling spin.
Below we’ve listed bunch of events or places we think would be awesome to go check out and they’re all super convenient to get to by bike. So take advantage of this new season, use you bike to explore more (we all know it’s the best way to get around the city) and have fun.
Isabella Plantation, Richmond Park
This 40-acre Victorian woodland plantation is stunning at this time of the year. It was planted in the 1830s and first opened to the public in 1953. The buttery yellows and firey hues will be in abundance. Take your bike and enjoy a cycle around the largest Royal Park after or grab a Santander bike and leave it behind at the end of the day.
Autumn Tree Walk, Victoria Park
Join a local guide on a tour around Victoria Park and learn about their autumn trees. Victoria Park is consistently rated as one of the UKs best parks and that’s because it is stunning all year round. This tour would be a fantastic opportunity to learn more about this top tier space.
If you’re coming from afar, you can jump on the Cycle Superhighway 2 (CS2) from the City to Mile end and then just divert into Victoria Park.
London Month of the Dead, Brompton Cemetery
If you want to dive head first into Halloween festivities in the creepiest way possible, then head to Brompton Cemetery. Take CS8 that follows Chelsea Embankment but when you come to Chelsea Bridge keep following the A3220 onwards and you’ll hit the cemetery.
All of October the Cemetery is playing host to a series of fun events. Take guided tours with London historians and gravestone experts, learn about maggots and murder or learn about Victorian mourning fashions. Check out their site here – there are a bunch of free events and some ones you need tickets for so plan ahead and enjoy the dead!
London’s Secret Gardens, West/Central London
Transport for London have detailed here are fantastic cycling route that explores some of London’s hidden green spaces. From the garden that Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant jumped into in the movie Notting Hill to exploring the oldest botanical gardens in the UK, they have outlined a fantastic itinerary with very clear directions.
Guy Fawkes History, Victoria Tower Gardens
Remember remember the fifth of November! On Guy Fawkes day you can take a one-hour walk with a guide through the park learning about the history of Guy Fawkes himself and his plot to blow up parliament over 400 years ago.
Walks begin at 11am and 1pm, meeting at the Emmeline Pankhurst statue. CS8 runs right by it and CS3 takes you 90% of the way there as well. Just be careful around the busy Westminster junction!
Big Bike Ride, Greenwich
Possibly the biggest sponsored bike ride in South East London, the Big Bike Ride is a fun event that gives everyone the chance to cycle the length of the River Thames from Erith to Greenwich. You can choose from various start locations with a choice of cycling 14, 19, or 28 miles and the route mostly follows the Thames Cycle Path.
If you’re coming from more central London you can follow the Quietway #1 that begins around Waterloo – map you can find here
And if you don’t have a bike the organisers have a bike hire scheme for the event so you can still take part. All funds raised goes to the Greenwich and Bexley Hospice and all information about the event can be found here
Bonfire Night, London Parks
Bonfire Night is by far one of London’s most exciting nights of the autumn. You can get to Battersea Park, Alexandra Palace, Victoria Park and lots of other parks that are hosting fireworks displays easily using the Cycle Superhighways. Take a look at this map to find out the easiest route there.
Timeout has a great list of all the various Bonfire Nights, some you have to buy tickets for so could be worth doing some planning in advance.
And remember to be safe when biking at night – make sure your lights are on!
Freize and Freize Masters, Regents Park
Frieze is a contemporary art and culture event held in cities around the world. Each October two massive tents are seen in Regents Park, which house Freize London and Frieze Masters. Frieze London brings over 160 of the worlds leading galleries from New York to Shanghai to Berlin and showcases works from the worlds leading galleries. You’ll need a ticket to get in and it can be quite busy to lock or dock your bike somewhere sensible and walk on in. Info and tickets can be found here
Quietway #2 will get you into Fiztrovia/Bloomsbury and then you can follow Hampstead Road up towards Regents Park.
I appreciate your sharing. I also explored your shared all these alluring places in my these tours and have a joyful time with my family and friends.